Power picking and lifting apparatus with tilting



April 9, 1957 o. B. ANKERSHEIL POWER PICKING AND LIFTING APPARATUS WITHTILTING Filed Jail. 27. 1954 United States Patent POWER PICKING ANDLIFTING APPARATUS WITH TILTlN G Otto B. Ankersheil, Marston, M0.Application January 27, 1954, Serial No. 406,433 6 Claims. (Cl. 262-8)This invention relates to picking and lifting apparatus, and moreparticularly to power picking and lifting apparatus manipulatable toestablish the angle of attack and penetration of the picking and liftingmember provided by the apparatus and which also incorporates a tiltingor swivel feature wherein the apparatus is operative to pick materialalong a bank as well as along the floor of the bank or fiat surface.

This application constitutes a continuation-in-part of my co-pendingapplication, Serial No. 385,087 filed October 9, 1953.

In the prior application referred to above, I have dis closed apparatusequipped with a power-actuated member operative to penetrate or to beinserted under an article or object prior to the lifting or breakingaway thereof of the object from the ground, etc., and in such apparatusthe angle of insertion of the pick member or penetrating member isselectively controlled. In the present application, I will describe animprovement on this structure.

An object of the invention is to provide apparatus for picking andlifting objects and in which means are provided for manipulating thepick member to enable the apparatus to operate both on a flat,horizontal surface and also on a vertical surface and wherein the angleof insertion or penetration of the pick member is controllable. Anotherobject is to equip a truck, tractor or bulldozer, and the like, withpower-driven, lift-picking apparatus, the lift-pick member beingvertically movable and also horizontally swingable, whereby theapparatus can operate along a horizontal or vertical surface. Yetanother object is to provide apparatus of the character described abovewherein fluid pressure-operated members enable the lift-pick member tobe manipulated and wherein power apparatus permits the lift-pick memberto be swung horizontally so that the apparatus may be used selectivelyalong vertical or horizontal surfaces. A further object of the inventionis to provide lift-pick apparatus adapted to be mounted upon a vehiclesuch as a truck, bulldozer, etc., and which is power-actuated, and ismanipulatable to swing the pick member provided by the apparatus betweengenerally vertical and generally horizontal planes, the lifting andpicking member of the apparatus being controlled so that the angle ofpenetration of this member can be preselected and changed at an.operators will. Additional objects and advantages will appear as thespecification proceeds.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing, in which Figure l is a broken side view in elevation of abulldozer having the apparatus of my invention mounted thereon and inwhich part of such apparatus is illustrated in section; Figure 2 is afront view in elevation of the apparatus and in which the dotted linesillustrate a position at which the apparatus may be angularly swung; andFigure 3 is a perspective view of the apparatus.

My lift-pick apparatus is adapted to be secured to a vehicle. .Whileany'vehicle might provide an appropriate mounting therefor, I prefer tomount the apparatus on a bulldozer such as the one partially indicatedin Figure l and which is designated generally by the numeral 10. Anybuldozer of customary design may be employed, and since bulldozers arewell known in the art, a showing thereof and description in detail willnot be set out other than to remark that the bulldozer 10 may beequipped with the customary endless treads 11 mounted upon appropriatesprockets or drive wheels 12.

Rigidly secured to a pair of spaced mounting members 13 provided by thebulldozer by means of bolts and nuts 14, are a pair of outwardlyanddownwardly-angled frame members 15 and 16. At their inner upper ends,the frame members 15 are rigidly secured to a hub 17 that is providedwith a bore 18 therethrough in which is mounted a stub shaft 19. Theshaft 19 may be held rigidly Within the hub 17 or may be rotatabletherein depending upon the particular construction desired.

In the illustration given, the shaft 1? has rigidly secured thereto agear member 20 having an annular flange 21 provided interiorly thereofwith teeth 22 adapted to mesh with a drive gear 23 secured to a shaft 24which may be rotatably driven by any suitable means and, for example,may be powered by a take-off from the engine or transmission of thebulldozer 10. A cover member 25 secured to the hub 17 provides anopening 26 therein through which the shaft 24 extends. A pin 27 andthrust bearing 28 may be provided adjacent the end of the shaft 19 topermit free rotation of the gear member 20 in the event that it isrotatably mounted upon the shaft 19.

Rigidly carried upon the outer surface of the gear flange 21 are a pairof upwardly-extending support members 29 having at their upper ends anarcuate support bed 30. The members 30 each receive therein the cylinder31 that is equipped with the usual piston reciprocated within thecylinder by the application. of a pressure fluid thereto. Each of thepistons within the cylinders is provided with an outwardly-extendingpiston rod 32 that carries at its outer end a bearing 33 that rotatab'lyreceives therein the end portion 34 of a link member 35 having at itsopposite end a bearing 36 that in turn pivotally receives therein theend portion of a link 37 that is pivotally connected to the lift-pickmember 33 by means of the stub shaft or rod 39 which is pivotallyreceived within the bearing members 40 provided respectively at the endof links 37.

As is clear from the drawings, the lift-pick member 38 is generallyL-shaped and has a point portion 41 that may be formed integrally withthe remaining portion of the member 38 or, if desired, may be removable.In either event, the point or pick portion 41 may be specially treatedor hardened so that it will not be quickly worn out in operation of theapparatus. If the point is removable, a plurality of points may beprovided and one selected that best fits the requirements of theparticular material being worked at any time. A removable point willalso serve the purpose of permitting the points to be reconditioned whennecessary.

Intermediate the ends of the member 38, a bore 42 is providedtherethrough that receives a shaft 43 and which is secured to the member38 by the locking members 44. The shaft 43 is pivotally carried withinthe bearing or coupling members 45 with which the ends of the pistonrods 46 are equipped. The rods 46 form a part of the pistons which arereciprocated by the application of pressure fluid within the cylinders47 rigidly carried by the channel members 48.

. The channel members 48 are vertically oriented and provide elongatedslots or recesses 49 therein that slidably receive the rollers orbearings 50 carried'at the ends of the shaft 43. Each of the channelmembers 48 may be rigidly secured adjacent the lower ends thereof bywelding or by bolts, etc. to the support frame members 51 which extendupwardly and rearwardly and are rigidly secured to the outer surface ofthe gear member 2Q. As is best seen in Figure 3, the frame supportmembers 51 may have a brace 52 extending there-between to add rigidityto the entire structure.

if desired, the conduits or flexible tubes indicated generallyby thenumeral 53 that are necessary to actuate the pistons within thecylinders 31 and 47, may extend through a support ring 54 carried bybrace 55 secured to the bulldozer. Figure 3 shows the cylinderSlit-equipped with a pair of fittings 56 to which'the fluid pressuresupply conduits may be secured.

Operation In operation -of the apparatus, it will be found that it isfrequently desirable to insert the lift-pick member 33 under an objectthat is to be lifted as, for example, a concrete slab, or to insert themember between rock strata to achieve a separation of the layersthereof. Regardless of what the object is, if it is atan. elevationslightly above the surface of the ground, the power cylinders 47 areactuated in the appropriate direction to raise or lower the member '33so that the generally horizontal point .41 thereof will engage theobject at the desired point. The hulldozer lll may then be movedforwardly so that the point 41 moves into or under, etc. the object.Thereafter the cylinders 47 may be again actuated to raise the member 38and this, it will be appreciated, will serve to lift the object receivedand supported upon the point 41.

Rather than directly lifting an object under which the point ill of thelift-pick member is inserted, it may be necessary to rock or pry theobject to break it loose from its surroundings. This may be accomplishedby actuating the power cylinders 31, which will then move the upper endof the lift-pick member 38 forwardly or rearwardly, as desired, andsince the member 48 is pivotally mounted about the axis or shaft 43, themember will be moved progressively through various angular positions as,for example, the one illustrated by broken lines in Figure l.

t may at times be necessary to move the forward portion or point 41 ofthe member 38 into the ground, and this may be accomplished by seatingthe angular position of the member 325 to the required position andthereafter moving the bulldozer forwardly, which will bring about apenetration of the member 3% into the ground.

it is apparent that the apparatus may be manipulated through aninfinitenumber of angular positions and at the same time raised andlowered so that the lift-pick member 38 can be inserted into the groundor can be slid into or under whatever objects it may be desired to liftor'tilt, etc., .and at the same time the member 33 may be movedvertically through an infinite number of positions within the range ofverticle movement provided.

Further, the member 3% may be swung from the generaily verticlepositions illustrated in Figures 1 and 3, through an infinite number ofangular horizontal positions such as the one indicated by the phantomlines in Figure 2. Such movement is accomplished by rotating the shaft24, which will bring about rotation of the drive gear 23,

gear member 2ft, and the lift-pick apparatus carried therer The samemaneuvers previously described may be carried out when the lift-pickmember is swung into a horizontal position, thatis to say, the member 38may be moved longitudinally within the guide channels 4h, it may bepivoted about the axis or shaft 4-3, and the bulldozer, or other vehicleupon whichit is mounted, may be moved forwardly or rearwardly as mightbe required. Therefore, this apparatus may be effectively used forworking along the generally vertical Walls of a channel as well as alongthe generally horizontal walls thereof. The apparatusis not only usefulfor operations performed above the ground, but also has extensiveapplication within mines, etc., where it may be required to break rockstrata, etc., from both a horizontal and vertical surface.

Whilein the foregoing specification, anembodiment of the invention hasbeen set forth in considerable detail for purposes of illustration, itwill be apparent to those skilled in the art that consilerable deviationmay be made in these details without departing from the spirit andprinciples of the invention.

1 claim:

1. A lift-pick apparatus, comprising a vehicle, a frame rigidly securedto said vehicle, a hub rigidly secured to said frame, a gear membersupported by said hub for rotational movement relative thereto, a pairof spaced apart channels carried by said gear. member, a shaft carriedby said channels for both pivotal and verticle movement with respectthereto, a generally L-shaped, lift-pick member carried by said shaft,power cylinderssupported by said channels and being operatively arrangedwith said shaft for moving the same in vertical directions, additionalpower cylinders supported by said gear member and being operativelyarranged with said lift-pick member adjacent the upper end thereof forpivoting the same about the pivotal axis of said shaft, means forsupplying pressure fluid to all of said power cylinders for actuatingthe same, and means for rotating said gear member, vertical movement ofsaid shaft and the lift-pick member carried thereby being independent ofsaid additional power cylinders and the operative arrangement thereofwith said lift-pick member.

2. in combination with a vehicle providing a support frame, a generallyhorizontal shaft supported by said frame, a gear mounted upon said shaftfor rotational movement about the longitudinal axis thereof, means forrotating said gear, a channel member carried by said gear, a secondshaft carried by said channel member for movement along the longitudinalaxis thereof, a lift-pick member received on said second shaft and beingpivotal about the longitudinal axis thereof, a power cylinder secured tosaid channel member and being operatively arranged With said shaft formoving the same longitudinally with respect to said channel member, anadditional power cylinder supported by said gear and 'being operativelyarranged with said lift-pick member for pivoting the same about thelongitudinal axis of said second shaft, and means for supplying pressurefluid to each of said power cylinders for actuating the same, movementof said second shaft longitudinally with respect to said channel memberbeing independent of said additional power cylinder and the operativearrangement thereof with said lift-pick member.

3. In a lift-pick apparatus adapted for use with a vehicle having amounting means therefor, a shaft adapted to be carried by such vehiclewiththe longitudinal axis thereof horizontally oriented, a gear carriedby said shaft for rotational movement about the longitudinal axisthereof, a pair of spaced apart channel members rigidly secured to said.gear, a second shaft extending between said channel members and beingsupported thereby for movement along the longitudinal axes thereof, apower cylinder supported by at least one of said channel members andbeing connected to said second shaft for moving the same longitudinallyof said channel members, a lift-pick member supported by said secondshaft for pivotal movement about the longitudinal axisthereof, anadditional power cylinder carried 'by said gear and being connected withsaid lift-pick member for pivoting the same about the longitudinal axisof said second shaft, and each of said power cylinders being adapted tohave fluid under pressure supplied thereto independently of each otherfor independent movement of said lift-pick member pivotally and alongthe longitudinal axes of said channel members.

4. In apparatus of the character described adapted for use incombination with a vehicle providingmounting means therefor, a memberadapted to be rotated about a.

said member for supporting said shaft for movement along a linegenerally normal to the rotational axis thereof, a lift-pick membersupported intermediate the ends thereof upon said shaft for pivotalmovement about the longitudinal axis thereof, power cylinder meanscarried by said member and being operatively connected with said shaftfor moving the same and the lift-pick member carried thereby along theaforesaid line generally normal to the rotational axis of the member,and additional power cylinder means also carried by said member andbeing operatively connected with said lift-pick member for pivoting thesame about the longitudinal axis of said shaft.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 in which said lift-pick member is generallyL-shaped, and in which said addi- 15 2,625,278

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 51,405Jones Dec. 5, 1865 2,126,289 Schroeder Aug. 9, 1938 2,402,976 Olson July2, 1946 2,421,472 Way June 3, 1947 2,585,095 Daniels Feb. 12, 1952Sensbaugh Jan. 13, 1953

